The Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme was a significant battle that influenced the outcome of World War One. This battle is remembered today to acknowledge the sacrifices and contributions made by Australian soldiers to the outcome of the Great War. The Battle of the Somme was fought in France on the Western Front and was also one of the largest battles of the First World War. The British and French armies were both involved and were up against the Germans. The Battle started on the 1st of July and ended in November 1916. When the offensive ended in November 1916, the British suffered a number of 420,000 casualties and the French suffered 200,000. This battle was significant because it was fought on the Western Front and there were hundreds of tragic deaths. The experiences of soldiers in the battle show that it was not easy for all who were involved and was extremely difficult to survive. As a result, Australians commemorate this battle to remember all those who fought and sacrificed their lives during the Great War. The location of the Somme was significant to World War One …show more content…
All the men and women who served in the first war endured some of the most brutal forms of warfare ever known. Over a million people were sent away to fight for a very long period of time. They underwent a series of terrible physical and emotional experiences. Soldiers and laborers who were involved were required to dig trenches and machine gun placements [The British Library 2017]. For those who served in the line, death was a constant companion even when no raid or attack was launched or defended against. A number of men on their first day, died in the trenches. Sentry duty was expected by men to prevent any danger coming their way for up to two hours, any longer than that, a real risk of men falling asleep on duty, the penalty was death by firing squad [Stories of the Somme,